Large round bale handling apparatus

An apparatus for handling large round bales or the like includes a mobile frame adapted for movement across a field and a bed assembly mounted thereon. The bed assembly includes a plurality of elongated, laterally spaced rails capable of being disposed in an inclined position with respect to the frame in which forward ends of the rails are disposed adjacent the field. A first flexible endless conveyor chain is movably mounted on and along a forward portion of each rail extending from the forward end thereof rearwardly through a distance preferably approximately equal to the axial length of a round bale. The first conveyor chains are capable of delivering a bale from the field to the forward ends of the rails when the rails are disposed in the inclined position and of moving the bale along the forward portions of the rails. A second flexible endless conveyor chain is movably mounted on and along a rearward portion of each rail extending from the forward rail portion to a rear end of the rail. The second conveyor chains are capable of receiving a bale from the first conveyor chains and of moving the bale along the rearward portions of the rails. Further, there is provided means for driving the first and second conveyor chains. In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the first chains are continuously driven whenever the drive means is operating, while the second chains are driven only at selected times. In another embodiment of the apparatus, the first and second chains are driven independently.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for handling crop material packages, such as large round bales or the like, comprising:

a mobile frame adapted for movement across a field;

an elongated bed assembly mounted to said frame and capable of being disposed in an inclined position in which one of its opposite ends is disposed adjacent the field;

first means movably mounted on said bed assembly along a first portion thereof which extends to and includes said one end thereof, said first movable means for delivering a bale or the like from the field to said one end of said bed assembly when said bed assembly is disposed in its inclined position and for moving said bale or the like along said first portion of said bed assembly;

second means movably mounted on said bed assembly along a second portion thereof which extends from rearwardly of said first portion thereof to the other of said opposite ends thereof, said second movable means for receiving said bale or the like from said first movable means and for moving said bale or the like along said second portion of said bed assembly;

power transmitting means for moving said first movable means;

a member mounted generally within said bed assembly and extending upwardly with respect thereto within the path of the movement of the bale or the like along said bed assembly and being actuatable by said bale or the like as the same is moved along said first portion of said bed assembly; and

means for operably coupling said power transmitting means to said second movable means for moving the same in response to actuation of said member by said bale or the like.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of said bed assembly is of a length generally equal to the length of said bale or the like; and

said second portion of said bed assembly is of a length substantially greater than the length of said first portion thereof.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said power transmitting means includes means for reversing the direction of movement of said first movable means.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said power transmitting means is capable of being rendered operative and inoperative and is operably coupled to said first movable means for continuously moving said first movable means whenever said power transmitting means is rendered operative; and

said means for operably coupling said power transmitting means to said second movable means includes cam means normally disposed in a first position and movable to a second position in response to actuation of said member and clutch means movable between disengaged and engaged positions as said cam means is moved between its first and second position, said clutch means when moved to its engaged position couples said power transmitting means to said second movable means for moving said second movable means concurrently with said first movable means.

5. Apparatus for handling crop material packages, such as large round bales or the like, comprising:

a mobile frame adapted for movement across a field;

a bed assembly including a plurality of elongated, laterally spaced apart support members mounted to said frame and capable of being disposed in an inclined position in which the same one ends of said support members are disposed adjacent the field;

first means movably mounted on each of said support members along a first portion thereof which extends to and includes said one end of said each member, said first movable means for delivering a bale or the like from the field to said same one ends of said support members when said members are disposed in said inclined position and for moving said bale or the like along said first portions of said support members;

second means movably mounted on each of said support members along a second portion thereof which extends from said first portion thereof to the other end of said each member, said second movable means for receiving said bale or the like from said first movable means and for moving said bale or the like along said second portions of said support members;

power transmitting means for moving said first movable means;

means movably mounted generally between said support members and normally extending upwardly in a non-actuating position with respect thereto proximate adjacent ends of said first and second portions thereof and within the path of movement of the bale or the like therealong, said means being moved to an actuating position upon engagement therewith by said bale or the like as the same is moved along said first portions of said support members by said first movable means and upon arrival of said bale or the like at said adjacent ends of said first and second portions of said support members; and

means for operably coupling said power transmitting means to said second movable means for moving the same in response to movement of said movably mounted means to its actuating position by said bale or the like.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein:

said first movable means comprises a first endless, flexible conveyor chain; and

said second movable means comprises a second endless, conveyor chain.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said power transmitting means includes means for reversing the direction of movement of said first movable means.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein:

said power transmitting means is capable of being rendered operative and inoperative and is operably coupled to said first movable means for continuously moving said first movable means whenever said power transmitting means is rendered operative; and

said means for operably coupling said power transmitting means to said second movable means includes cam means normally disposed in a first position when said movably mounted means is in its non-actuating position and movable to a second position in response to movement of said movably mounted means to its actuating position and clutch means movable between disengaged and engaged positions as said cam means is moved between its first and second positions, said clutch means when moved to its engaged position couples said power transmitting means to said second movable means for moving said second movable means concurrently with said first movable means.

9. An apparatus for handling crop material packages, such as large round bales or the like, comprising:

a mobile frame adapted for movement across a field;

a bed assembly including a pair of elongated, laterally spaced apart support members mounted to said frame and capable of being disposed such that the same one ends of said support members are disposed adjacent the field;

a first endless, flexible conveying member separately movably mounted on each of said support members along a first portion thereof which extends to and includes said one end of said each member, said first conveying members for delivering a bale or the like from the field to said same one ends of said support members when said same one ends thereof are disposed adjacent the field and for moving said bale or the like along said first portions of said support members;

a second endless, flexible conveying member separately movably mounted on each of said support members along a second portion thereof which extends from said first portion thereof to the other end of said each member, said second conveying members for receiving said bale or the like from said first conveying members and for moving said bale or the like along said second portions of said support members;

first transverse shaft means mounted to said support members and coupling said first conveying members together for concurrent movement;

second transverse shaft means mounted to said support members and coupling said second conveying members together for concurrent movement;

power transmitting means operably coupled to said first transverse shaft means for moving said first conveying members;

first cam means mounted to said first transverse shaft means for pivotal movement thereabout, said first cam means being normally disposed in a non-actuating position and capable of being selectively pivotally moved to an actuating position;

second cam means mounted to said first transverse shaft means for axial movement therealong between first and second positions respectively in response to pivotal movement of said first cam means between its non-actuating and actuating positions; and

clutch means normally disposed in a disengaged position so as to inoperatively couple said first transverse shaft means with at least one of said second conveying members, said clutch means being interconnected with said second cam means and movable to an engaged position in response to movement of said second cam means to its second position upon movement of said first cam means to its actuating position so as to operatively couple said first transverse shaft means with said at least one second conveying member and thereby cause movement of said second conveying members concurrently with said first conveying members.